Collapse
by gunman
Summary: Shinji and Maya get caught in a cavein during the 14th Angel's attack. Slightly AU. ShinjiMaya.


_**COLLAPSE**_

by Gunman

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE or its characters.

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Shinji Ikari was inside the cafeteria of the NERV facility. He was just having tea, watching the outside construction crews come and go as they worked to repair the damage done to the Geofront during the last Angel's attack. He looked rather depressed, but that was natural for him.

"Shinji?" a soft voice came across the air, waking Shinji from his trance.

"Huh?" he looked up to see the kind face of Maya Ibuki.

"Are you alright? You looked kind of spaced out. Course, you always look like that." she giggled.

"Uh, no. I'm fine." he replied as he set his tea down.

"Can...I sit with you?"

That confused him a little. "Why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, why would you want to sit with me?"

_Boy, he does have a confidence problem_. She thought as she tapped her clipboard. "Uh...because... I needed to talk to you...about your synch tests with Unit 00."

"Oh, alright." he conceded as she sat down.

The pair sat in awkward silence for a full minute, Shinji not looking at her, and she just seemed to be staring at him.

_Geez, you think living with Major Katsuragi would have loosened this kid up._ She thought as she started to fiddle with her clipboard notes. "So, anyway, your second synch test with Unit 00 is going to be this afternoon. Dr Akagi wanted me to talk to you about it, go over anything that might have come up from the last test. Any questions or concerns you might have."

"It smells like Rei." he said weakly.

"What? What was that?" she asked, mostly from the fact that he had said it so low she almost didn't catch it.

"Unit 00...smells like Rei."

"Oh. Really? I wasn't aware of that. Rei probably feels the same way about Unit 01."

"Is that all you wanted to know?"

"Actually, they asked me to talk to you, sort of as a neutral party."

"Oh. Well, that's alright."

"And I also had a couple other questions for you as well."

"Really? What?"

"What you're like, how's school going, have you been on any dates, that kind of thing."

Shinji blushed a little as being asked such personal questions.

Maya flushed a little. _Great going Ibuki, why didn't you just come right out and say, 'Shinji, I'm really attracted to you and I want to get to know you better'? God, this was really stupid._

"Schools fine. There's a dance coming up next week. Supposed to be the last one, what with all the Angel attacks." he replied, immediately wondering why he had brought that up.

"Have you asked anyone out to it?" she asked curiously.

"No. I doubt anyone would go with me." he said, keeping his head hung.

"Why not? I'm sure no one's asked Asuka yet."

"That's because she wants to go with Kaji."

"Riiiight. What about Rei?"

"She doesn't like large crowds."

"You could take Major Katsuragi. You'd be the envy of every guy at school."

Shinji smiled, it was a nice smile she noticed. "Yeah, then I'd end up getting jumped by every guy at school who didn't think I was good enough for her."

"Hmm. Point. Well, I'm not doing anything next week, so..." She stopped herself and then blushed. "Oh, sorry, that didn't come out right." she giggled.

Before Shinji could make any response, the alarms sounded.

"AN ANGEL!" they shouted in unison as they scrambled to get to their positions.

However, the entire complex started shaking like crazy, paneling dropping over their heads.

Cross flares started dropping into the Geofront. The Angel had to be incredibly powerful if it could do that. Shinji stopped running as he noticed that Lt. Ibuki had done the same. Debris was falling all around her, a rather large piece broke from the ceiling and headed straight at her head.

Shinji saw it and reacted before he could speak.

He bolted towards her and tackled her in the gut, knocking her out of the way as the large object crushed the floor instead of her. The pair tumbled to the ground, rolling over each other as they came to a stop against the opposite wall. More cross flares erupted and Shinji could feel the Angel was getting closer. But something felt strange. It was Maya, she was trembling. He was close enough to her that he could feel it, she was scared.

"Lt. Ibuki, are you alright?"

"Not again, not again, not again..." she kept saying as she trembled in Shinji's grip.

"We have to get out of here." he said as he tried to help her up.

That was when the floor collapsed.

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Unit's 00 and 02 had been launched to try and stop the Angel, but they only ended up getting more damaged than the last time they fought an Angel.

Misato called for the pair to fall back as an N2 mine was dropped on the Angel. Using their EVA's AT-Fields to contain the blast, the Angel was immobilized for the time being. However, the EVA's power was drained heavily from trying to contain it, and the pilots were too exhausted to move.

But all the time, Misato was wondering where Shinji was.

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The pilot in question was busy tying a tourniquet around Lt. Ibuki's leg. It had endured a small gash, most likely from the fall, but he saw no reason to take chances. Her eyes started to blink open and she saw Shinji tying off her leg with cloth from his own shirt.

She then started to panic as she noticed the small area they were in.

"Wherearewewhat'shappeneddoesanyoneknowwe'reherewhat'sgoingonedidtheAngeldothis..."

Question after question fired one after the other, each one filled with panic and hysteria. Seeing that she was about to lose it, Shinji somehow was forced to forego his normal personality traits as he quickly moved towards her and hugged her tightly, both facing each other.

"It's alright, Ibuki, it's alright."

She instinctively grabbed him around his waist and held tightly, crying into his chest as she did. He was shocked at first, but started rubbing her back gently, holding her close to him, whispering softly into her ears in an effort to calm her down.

"Ibuki, listen to me. Listen to me. I'm right here. You're not dead. You're going to be alright. Do you hear me? You're going to be alright."

She was still hysterical and Shinji's efforts to comfort her were not going so well. Not to mention that Shinji's heart was pounding like mad, since he was in a position where he had to do the comfort bit to someone else. Needles to say, he was freaked.

"Maya."

She stopped shaking suddenly as he said that. His voice calm and even.

"Maya, look at me. Look at me." he pulled back and put her head between his hands as he stared into her eyes. "It's alright. We're going to be alright. Trust me."

Tears were still falling from her eyes, but now, she didn't seem as upset as before. She then noticed blood trickling down Shinji's arm.

"Oh, no! You're hurt." she said as she took off her jacket and tore a piece of cloth out from her shirt. She then tied it around Shinji's arm.

"It's not bad." he exclaimed, wincing slightly as she tied it off.

"You bandaged me up, it's the least I could do for you." she said after noticing her tourniquet.

The pair sat back against the wall, Maya had unconsciously wrapped her arms around Shinji's arm, her head resting on his shoulder. As if for support or comfort she didn't know. And even though he was a bit shorter than she was, she didn't seem concerned. Shinji didn't mind himself, neither the arms, nor her head. What he was concerned with was her shivering.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"Huh? No...I was just thinking. Its nothing."

"It...might help to talk about it. It's not like we're going anywhere."

Maya looked around. The debris that had fallen on them, who knew how many levels they had fallen and who knew how many tons of concrete and steel had fallen around them. Miraculously the pair hadn't been crushed by any of it. It surrounded them, but there was a hole punched through the debris giving them air at least. The whole place looked unstable, as if moving a single piece of it would cause the whole thing to cave in on them.

So, they were stuck.

"I was six years old. Living with my parents overseas for a year in the United States. There was an earthquake, a bad one. I remember the whole building falling down around us. The noise, the rush of heat and getting scratched and pummeled so badly. I was trapped for hours, until I was found."

Shinji listened to her story. He hadn't known about Lt. Ibuki to much, or any of the other bridge crew members for that matter. It wasn't that he didn't want to get to know them, it was just that he didn't want to pry into their lives. If they wanted to share, then he would listen.

"I can still remember the weight of the concrete on my body. I was pinned. Trapped for about twelve hours they said, when the rescue crews found me. I couldn't move, couldn't do anything. I remember being totally helpless, nearly freaking out the whole time. If they hadn't found me, I probably would have given up and just died. No way out, just accepted death. My parents survived, but they had been knocked unconscious. They were luckier than I was."

Shinji was quiet for a few seconds before responding.

"I never knew that about you, Lt. Ibuki."

"Call me Maya, please Shinji."

"Maya. It's a nice name." he said, trying to lift her spirits some.

She blushed a little. "Thanks. Anyways, after we were all patched up, we came back to Japan and stayed here the whole time. We never traveled anymore."

"I can understand that. I've never left Japan in my whole life. You're lucky you got to travel."

"I guess. But it can be rather...shaky."

Shinji smiled. He was glad she was feeling good enough to make jokes now.

"So, tell me, Shinji. Why haven't you asked anyone to the school dance?" she changed the subject.

"I thought about it. But I don't know anyone that well to go with."

"What about Rei?" she asked the redundant question.

"She doesn't like social functions."

"Asuka?"

"She'd only laugh at me."

"Right. What about me-Misato." she quickly corrected herself.

"She'd probably tease me if I asked her, and she'd probably bring beer to school. That wouldn't go over too well."

_Not with the teachers at least._ "Hmm. What about Sempai?" she asked, unconsciously berating herself for suggesting that.

"Dr Akagi? No...it would be like taking my own mother." he asked.

"Hmm, probably not a good recommendation. Well, maybe we can figure something else out."

The pair sat in silence for another minute, until Maya grew restless and asked...

"Shinji, I noticed you bandaged my leg first. Didn't you notice your arm was losing blood?"

"No. I was more worried about you."

_That's sweet_. "Thank you."

Just then, a light shone through the bleakness as the crews finally found them.

"This is Crew Six, we've located the Third Child and Lieutenant Ibuki. They're alright." the worker said into his walkie-talkie.

"WELL GET HIM UP HERE NOW!" the panicked voice of Misato Katsuragi sounded. "WE'VE GOT AN ANGEL ABOUT TO ATTACK UP HERE!"

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(We all know Shinji defeats the Angel, so I'll spare you the details of that fight)

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Shinji is at the dance, just standing off to the side, dateless.

He notices that Asuka and Hikari are dancing with their respective dates. Several of the girls were dancing as well with the boys. There were a few wallflowers, which included Kensuke Aida.

Just then, Maya Ibuki walked in

The tech was clad in a black evening dress – one that accentuated her rather pleasing to look at figure. It covered her shoulders in spaghetti straps and had a fairly modest neckline, though it DID reveal the tops of her breasts just a bit. It was the perfect length too, hitting her just barely above the knee to allow freedom of movement, while simultaneously showing that the wearer was not afraid to expose a little bit of her trim, fit legs. Her hair was carefully brushed out and shiny, and she had a small purse in her hands, which she kept in front of her the whole time.

Shinji saw her and immediately walked over.

"Maya? What are you doing here?" he asked, a little surprised at her presence.

"I'm sorry I'm late Shinji. Work took longer than I expected." she smiled at him.

Like Rei Shinji tilted his head to side, indicating his confusion. "Work? Late?"

Just then a slow song came on. Maya looked at Shinji, and Shinji understood what was going on. He smiled.

"Would you care to dance?" he asked, holding out his hand.

"Yes, I'd love to." she said, taking it and was lead out to the dance floor

Everyone just looked at Shinji for a few seconds, their jaws dropping at seeing the person they knew to be a shy pilot dancing with an older woman. And a pretty one at that.

Asuka, the only person present who actually knew the pair, was both shocked and amused at what she was seeing as she came up with her own analytical thought pertaining to them.

Shinji Ikari: 14, pilot of Evangelion Unit 01, ex-introvert and potential ladies-man.

Maya Ibuki: 24, Magi supercomputer technician, rumored lesbian, and potential cradle-robber.

Needless to say she started mentally laughing and ignored them the rest of the night.

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The pair had danced with each other for nearly seven songs and only with each other. The night wore on and the young man chose to walk the female tech back to her apartment.

Heck, it was the least he could do.

"Thank you for walking me home, Shinji." Maya smiled, her arm interlocked with his.

"It's the least I could do. I had a good time tonight." he said.

"I'm glad."

When they arrived at Maya's apartment, they paused in front of her door.

"Uh...Shinji, I have something for you?" she smiled, a slight blush on her cheeks.

"Something for me? Like a gift?" the boy asked in confusion.

"Yes."

"You really don't need to do that."

She pouted and threw him a puppy-dog look that instantly made him crumble. She smiled and asked him to close his eyes.

Two seconds later, Shinji's eyes flew open as he felt Maya's lips pressed warmly against his own.

"What...what was that for?" the brightly blushing boy asked once he had been released.

"Did you like it?"

"Yes, it was better than Asuka." he said and then slapped his hands over his mouth.

"Asuka? Asuka Langley Sohryu? The Second Child? You kissed her?" the stunned woman asked.

"Well...I guess it doesn't really count."

"Why not?"

"She'd rather have kissed Kaji." he said bluntly. "I was just...convenient when she got bored."

Maya nodded in understanding, but looked sad. His first kiss with a girl hadn't been one of love or even like. It had been done out of boredom. "True, she would want to kiss Kaji. Uh, can I ask _how_ mine was better?"

"Well, you didn't pinch my nose when you kissed me."

"Pinch your nose?" a wide-eyed Maya asked.

"I nearly suffocated."

The pair broke into laughter at that.

"Thank you again Shinji. For everything. Saving my life, keeping me sane. I wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for you." Maya said, regaining herself after her chuckle.

"You don't have to thank me for that. Friends do that for each other."

"I know. I just..."

"Just what?"

"I just wanted...more than a friend." she blushed again.

"More than a...?" but he was cut off again as he felt Maya's lips on his again.

"Would you like to come inside for a bit?" she asked softly.

He gulped. He'd seen this movie before. "Uh...I probably shouldn't. I need to get back to Misato's before she gets worried."

Suddenly, a heavy downpour started as if out of nowhere. With hail to boot.

_Is the weather against me as well?_

"Shinji?"

"Uh...on second thought..." he said as Maya wrapped her arms around Shinji and pulled on him backwards into her apartment.

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Authors Notes: I left it like this so that people could draw their own opinions about what happened. It was not my intention for Maya to molest Shinji in any fashion, so whoever thinks of that is just sick!

I have no idea if I'm going to add an extra chapter to this or not, so just enjoy it as is.

Please Read and Review.

And now...the OMAKE'S!

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OMAKE!

"Shinji, what happened?" Ritsuko asked as she arrived at the police station.

"Probably the worst mistake I could have ever made." the young man said as he sat on the bench in the waiting room, his hands buried in his face.

"Which was?"

"I asked Misato to my school dance."

"I heard. What happened?"

"Well, first she wears a dress that looks like she's out for sex, then on top of that, she brings beer. That nasty tasting Yebisu brand."

Ritsuko nodded.

"Then she drinks so much she gets loopy and starts dancing and taking off her clothes."

Ritsuko was wide-eyed.

"And if that wasn't enough of a problem, the teacher tries to stop her, and she tries to take his clothes off!"

"Oh...My...God!"

"The guys at school liked me for bringing her, the girls think I'm a jerk and worse for bringing a stripper to their dance."

"It couldn't have been that bad."

"I have been banned from all school functions not pertaining to academics."

"No future dances, no carnivals, no class trips?"

"No, No, and No."

"Well...this is going to be so much fun to tease her about." Ritsuko burst out laughing.

_And Blame_! Shinji mentally grumbled. Though he wasn't sure why. He never liked those things anyway. _I should have asked Maya to the dance._

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End file.
